Infectious diseases pose a serious threat and a substantial
economic
burden on global human and public health security, especially with
the frequent emergence of multidrug-resistant (MDR) bacteria in clinical
settings. In response to this urgent need, various photobased anti-infectious
therapies have been reported lately. This Review explores and discusses
several photochemical targeted antibacterial therapeutic strategies
for addressing bacterial infections regardless of their antibiotic
susceptibility. In contrast to conventional photobased therapies,
these approaches facilitate precise targeting of pathogenic bacteria
and/or infectious microenvironments, effectively minimizing toxicity
to mammalian cells and surrounding healthy tissues. The highlighted
therapies include photodynamic therapy, photocatalytic therapy, photothermal
therapy, endogenous pigments-based photobleaching therapy, and polyphenols-based
photo-oxidation therapy. This comprehensive exploration aims to offer
updated information to facilitate the development of effective, convenient,
safe, and alternative strategies to counter the growing threat of
MDR bacteria in the future.